Fact Check: Does mystery object found on Australian beach belong to Chandrayaan-3?

Hyderabad: An image of a giant cylinder-shaped mystery object reportedly washed up on the coast of Green Head in Western Australia is going viral. Some websites are claiming that the object is the debris of Chandrayaan-3, launched on April 14 from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. People are also claiming that ISRO, which launched the rocket, has confirmed that the object is the ‘third stage of a PSLV rocket that launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon.’

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the origin of the object is yet to be identified, and the claim is misleading.

According to the information on the website of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the launch vehicle used in Chandrayaan-1 (2008) was PSLV-C11. On the contrary, Chandrayaan-2 (2019) used GSLV Mk III, and the Chandrayaan-3 (2023) missions used LVM3 as launch vehicles.

We also searched for media reports on the mystery object. On July 18, Al-Jazeera reported that a barnacle-encrusted device was found at Green Head, a town about 250 km (155 miles) north of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. It also said that the device is about the size of a small car.

An India Today report said that it is being speculated that the object could be from a 20-year-old Indian rocket that was used for launching a satellite.

On July 17, the Australian Space Agency tweeted that they are investigating the object found near Jurien Bay in Western Australia. They also said it could be from a foreign space launch vehicle and are working with global counterparts, who may have more information.

In an interview with the BBC, ISRO chief S Somanath confirmed that the metal object found on the Australian beach was part of a rocket, but it may or may not be of Indian origin.

He also said that some PSLV parts have fallen into the sea beyond Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone and that the object may have been floating for a long time and finally ended up at the shore. However, he added whether it belongs to a PSLV or any other space launch vehicle cannot be confirmed without inspection and analysis.

On July 19, The Australian Space Agency, in another tweet, updated that the object is most likely a solid rocket motor casing. They said that they are still in the process of identifying the type of rocket and its origin through consultation with global counterparts.

The origin of the mystery object found on an Australian beach, which could be a solid motor rocket casing, is yet to be determined. Hence, we conclude that the claim that the object is the debris of India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission is misleading.